During the week I always eat my breakfast on-the-go. With the mornings
being so chilly, I’ve foregone my a.m. smoothies for a warmer, hearty option-
oatmeal! Growing up I loved oatmeal…of the pre-packaged
dump-in-a-bowl-with-water-super-sweet variety… but now I’m going for a grown-up healthy version using steel-cut oats. The best part? I can make it ahead the night before so it's ready to go in the morning!

Steel-cut oats are different from rolled oats in that they are whole
grain oats that have been cut into small pieces on a steel mill. There’s not
too much of a health difference between the two, (as long as the oats don’t
have added sugars, flavors and preservatives) but I like how the steel-cut oats
hold up when cooked, not so pastey, and taste.

This recipe is so, so easy! I suggest using a crock pot liner to make
cleaning even easier. This is great for on-the-go (I take mine to work and eat
it at my desk) and especially great to get the kids fed during the morning
rush. I usually make the banana-nut version below but feel free to experiment
with your favorite fruits and nuts! Here’s a few other flavor suggestions:

Apple-Cinnamon: Use the below
recipe substituting chopped apple in place of the mashed banana.

Blueberry-Almond: Use chopped
almonds (or slivers) and top your bowl with fresh blueberries.

Peel banana(s) and place in a bowl, mashing with a fork
until smooth. Add all ingredients (except the banana slices and reserved
walnuts for garnish) to crock pot; stir to combine. Set crock-pot on low for up
8 hours overnight. In the morning, stir to make sure everything is combined and
you are ready to serve. Spoon into a bowl, top with sliced bananas and chopped
walnuts… maybe an extra drizzle of honey for added sweetness… and you are good to go!

Makes about 4-5 servings, leftovers should be refrigerated.
To heat, put in microwave safe bowl and nuke for about a 1:30 minutes, adding
more almond milk or water to reconstitute. Eat up!